Hi Marian
Just wanted to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! for today. Maybe you should treat yourself to another scalp massage. I think they are wonderful too.
Thanks for the info on softies- you can have no idea what my imagination was conjuring up- also the suggestion of a “sleep bra” I didn’t know there was such a thing. You said “slipper bag” for the drains- could you describe one for me-alot to ask of a Birthday Girl I know. I do have a little bag but have no idea if it is suitable.
Thanks and have a lovely day I hope the family spoil you rotten.
Diana
Hi Golden Girls
Stella I also have been left with a few after effects from Tax but nothing that can’t be dealt with. If you do have the injections alongside Tax to keep your blood count up I found that they caused me severe joint pains but as soon as the injections finished those pains went.
Diana My bcn recommended a small gift bag type bag to carry my drain bottles aroung and that worked fine for me. My problem was I kept forgetting to pick them up when I moved, and on one occassion the drain became disconnected from the bottle (My fabulous nurses sorted me out)
Have a good day
Andie
Hi ladies,
Thanks for the TAX advice Andie, I suspect I will need the injections. I went to see the onc this morning and my white blood cells were too low. 0.6 and they would like them to be 1.5 (test was yesterday). Underling said they would delay FEC 2 for a week, but referred to consultant who said he didn’t want the delay. I have to go back early tomorrow and see if count has gone up in which case they will go ahead later tomorrow - if not they will try for Friday.
I like the Golden Girls title.
Good luck everyone with what ever stage you are battling. Stella
I don’t understand - I posted here on Monday and I thought my post appeared but now it seems to have disappeared. Why?
Hi javelin
I have checked back in your posts and there is no post from you on the 1st November which was Monday so I wonder whether it had timed out before you posted your message?
Best wishes
Lucy
Hi Ragamuffin
The slipper bag, is a drawstring bag like the sort us “more mature” ladies probably used to put our plimsolls in at school.
I am having trouble getting my curly hair to behave. It doesn’t look as good as when the hairdresser did it on Sunday.
It is so strange at my age to have hair you don’t know how to manage. Always had straight hair, not even a kink in it, my hair used to be a mousey blonde it is now almost black, and it is much thicker than it used to be.
I am getting used to short hair, it is nice to wash and go in the mornings.
Feeling a bit low today, I have come down with a cold and an upset stomach, so the herceptin that was due tomorrow has had to be cancelled until next week, 1st treatment in over a year that has had to be moved.
Marian
Hi Golden girls (what a good description of us - must mean we are very precious!)
I went for my results today - not very good 1 lymph node out of 4 showed cancer so I am going into hospital again next week for a total clearence. I have been told to expect chemotherapy - which I am dreading but will sign on here for support
I have a question - I have been told that I am hormone negative and so will not have Tamoxifen. The results of HER - 2 are not back yet. Is being hormone negative a bad thing - the nurse did not seem to explain it properly but most peopls seem to have Tamoxifen after treatment
Wishing you all well
Janet
Hi Janet-I am triple negative too.It is quite unusual for older women and is generally regarded as more aggressive than hormone positive.If you are tn you will be offered chemo.They throw everything at it in the beginning because we dont have the benefit of tamoxifen etc to keep recurrence at bay.The good news is that if we stay well for 8 years it is most unlikely to recur however it is more risky in the first few years.There is also research to show that chemo works very well on tn in older women…usually.Its best not to 'dwell’on it-once treatment starts you will feel better.
All the best
Valx
Hi Janet
I am also triple negative which means neg for HER2 as well as oestrogen & progesterone. About 15-20% of breast cancers are TN. If you are HER2 positive you would be a candidate for herceptin. After mx I had 3FEC + 3TAX and rads but that’s it. At least we don’t have to cope with the side effects of Tamoxifen etc. I did worry a lot about being TN initially because I did too much reading but I am relaxed about it now. As Horace says, chemo is the way forward and although it’s tough it’s doable. There will be plenty of support for you here.
Bboonie - I know what you mean about your hair. I had had 60years of the fine straight stuff but post chemo I got curls! It is evolving all the time and is just a bit wavy now but thicker than before. Still don’t quite know how to style it.
Joss
Hi Janet
Sorry to hear your results were not as you would have wished. If you were like me when you were told of the cancer being in the lymph node it must have been a huge emotional jolt. Almost worse than the original diagnosis. Poor you having to go back into hospital again for another op just when you thought that part was behind you. Do you have to wait very long before they do the axillary clearance? My thoughts are with you - (((((big hug)))))
Love Diana
Hi Janet - I was in your situation as regards the SNB showing one node affected . It was a Big shock as I had been encouraged to think n that they had caught “it” early (routine mammo) and I would just need rads.
As it was, I was grade 3, stage 3 with one node involved. I’m afraid I didn’t cope too well with this news- largely because I had been kept waiting for over 2 hours before I was seen in the results clinic after SNB and WLA
I guess many of us have experienced this in busy clinics- maybe if it’s bad news they save you until last specifically to allow you more time - but I think a long wait in a crowded waiting room is SO…bad when you have come in for results.
I do hope this wasn’t your experience, Janet. My surgeon,when I eventually got to see him was really, really good and seeing I was so upset offered to do the level 3 clearance the very next day- so I didn’t have to wait any longer. Unfortunately I developed a post-op infection which prolonged matters but I still started my chemo within a month of the 2nd op.
I was not triple neg. - as Val has said, this is more unusual in 'older women"- so can’t offer much help in that area. I was only in hospital for 4 days for my lymph clearance( they didn’t find any more affected nodes by the way) and came out with my drain in a pretty paisley bag!.
Chemo is not much fun- but once you’ve started on it you can look forward to the end; at the beginning it seems like BC has taken over vour life for ever - but it does recede.
I’m now 2 years post diagnosis and feel really good (and I’m 68 now!)
Thanks Gwendolyn/Eliza for the info on bras. I’ve found them online, so I may buy that way if I can’t summon the energy to go to town or our very busy shopping centre. I try to avoid these at the best of times, but SE of the Femara are leaving me very fatigued and I don’t know if my legs would manage it. Although, now I know such bras exist, I may also try more of our out of town shops.
Hi Javelin, I saw from above that you “lost” your post. Why not try again and you can introduce yourself to us. Love Val
I am new to the site but have feel I fit into this thread as I am 58 and post menopausal. I had my operation 2 weeks ago which included sentinal node biopsy and a reduction in both breasts. The op was fine and I am healing well and proud of my new breasts. However, I had my path report meeting yesterday and am feeling a bit down. It seems I am triple positive and 3/15 nodes were involved. The tumor was . stage/grade 2. I was led to believe initially that it was caught in time and there was no node involvement but it seems to have grown in size and travelled whilst waiting for the op. I was also told initially that I would only need rads and hormone treatment!! I am disappointed that I have now been told I will need 6x chemo, herceptin and then rads plus hormone treatment. I have been looking at info on her2+ and am now worried that I have an aggressive cancer as this was not mentioned at the meeting. I also suffer from bronchiectasis which apparently will not help my cause if I get an infection… Have had a bad night and as I live on my own it was a long one… I am due to start chemo in 2-3 weeks… Anyone out there similar to me? Would love to hear from you.
Hi All!
I’m 56 and was diagnosed in August 2010 with a Grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma (9mm) and high grade DCIS (4mm). I had a wide local excision with nipple preservation but at my follow up appointment was told I would need to have further surgery. I opted for a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction for some peace of mind and less psychological trauma about asymmetry. I have been accepted by a plastic surgeon for reconstruction by TRAM flap method and am awaiting my date for surgery. I had sentinel lymph node biopsy two weeks ago and my nodes were clear which was marvellous news (I thought).
I am divorced and live alone and had it not been for my friends and colleagues who have done over and above the call of duty I would have been completely on my own. I have two adult children and it seems that neither of them are bothered about what is happening to me. My son had to be told to leave home as he was being so cruel - one can only be told that he hopes you die a limited number of times before you snap! In his defence he has problems with drugs but I just couldn’t expend any more energy on trying to help him when he didn’t want to be helped. My daughter who is 29 and should know better has never once asked how I am. She has her perfect little world and family unit and doesn’t want anything to disrupt that. I feel so isolated and frightened. Every week seems to bring a new nightmare for me. Last week I was told that I would need chemotherapy; devastated doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt. I never anticipated having that and was led to believe that once I’d had surgery that would be that. I have diabetes (Type II) and hypothyroidism so I feel that my immune system is already compromised. I had decided on balance that I wouldn’t take the chemo as I felt it would just cause me more problems. I feel relatively well now so why would I want to poison myself when the risks seem to outweigh the benefits? Today I have been told that my cancer was HER2 positive and that chemotherapy and Herceptin will be offered. I am absolutely terrified and feel so stupid because I am considering not having either of them. I just don’t want to be on my own and feeling ill from these therapies. I have an irrational feeling that this rather than the cancer will kill me. I can’t bear the thought of losing my hair either and every time I read about the side effects I am sobbing because it could make me really ill and affect my heart. I have said I want my surgery first in any case because I think I will stand a better chance of my wounds healing in my current state of health. Has anyone with the same diagnosis as me refused chemo and Herceptin?
I’ve never refused chemo but then I have never been offered it and I have had 3 recurrences.
I understand how you feel, my biggest fear was the chemo not the cancer although I would’nt have refused it if I had been told I needed it. It is probably more important for you because of the type of cancer you have, mine is estrogen positive so am able to take hormone therapy.
Maybe when you have had more time to accept what you have been told it won’t seem so bad thats been my experience anyway.
I had my first diagnoses in 1985 so I am kind of use to living with the uncertainty it brings.
It has to be your decision and I am sure you will make the right one.
Take care.
Jan
Hi Suzieb54. I too have had a WLE for DCIS and then was told that they had found invasive ductal carcinoma in the margains. I am having my second operation and sentinel lymph node biopsy on Monday and so I can’t help you with chemo and Herceptin (yet). I agree with Jan that it has to be your decision but it might help to be able to talk to someone about it. I am divorced and live alone as well and understand how difficult it can be no matter how good your friends and colleagues are. If you feel able to phone the helpline, you will find that they are really good at listening and they can arrange for you to have 1-1 telephone support from someone who has been in a similiar position to you, but is a couple of years down the line. If you talk to your Dr/Breastcare Nurse s/he might be able to help you with counselling. I did both of those things as I was devastated by the second diagnosis and was unable to even look at my breast at all! I can’t say that I am in a good place, but I am in a better place and at least I’ve been able to look at my breast whilst I still have it. Take care Wendy
Dear Suzieb54,
Just to reinforce what Gwendolyn said about the BCC Helpline, they will be open again tomorrow morning at 9.00am (until 2.00pm). They can offer information, support or just a “listening ear”. The number is 0808 800 6000.
Take care
Very best wishes
Janet
BCC Facilitator
Hi all,
Please can I gate-crash this thread? I’m 52 and had left mastectomy with axillary clearance 3 weeks ago. 6 years ago I had a L breast lump which turned out to be a cyst, but the mammogram identified some other suspicious changes and I had to have several biopsies and then a wide excision. The histology report said I had radial scar tissue which allegedly is a benign condition.I had a mammogram a year later which showed no further changes, then put on 3 yearly recall.
This year I was diagnosed with DCIS on routine mammogram (and I had been mistakenly recalled at 2 years instead of 3). I had wide excision and SN biopsy, and was reassured I’d only need radiotherapy afterwards, so when I went for my post-op appt, expecting to get my radiotherapy arranged, I was absolutely floored to be told the margins were’nt clear and 2/5 ax nodes showed invasive disease. I was so unprepared for that, and felt upset that I was not warned of the possibility of further surgery. I thought then that I couldn’t be the first person this has happened to, and obviously several of you are in the same boat.
However, I’ve moved on. My follow up after the mastectomy confirmed grade 3 invasive ductal carcinoma in several areas of the breast tissue, and no further ax nodes involved - they took another 20 away. I’ve been told I’ll need chemo and rads and my oncology appt is on Monday to discuss the regime.
I had a hysterectomy 5 years ago, preserving my then functional ovaries. I had a blood test 6 months ago to check my FSH/LH levels (indicators of whether I’m still ovulating)and that was still normal. So as I have not experienced menopausal symptoms and come from a family of women with late menopause, I probably am not yet qualified to be in this thread - but I cant be far off and I’m a bit concerned I could be borderline, and then maybe get the wrong chemo! No doubt that is all to be discussed on Monday. I’m anxious and cant help feeling that every time I go back to clinic, the goal posts seem to have moved, and I have something more to deal with.
Sorry to blag on, but I needed to get this off my chest (Ha!How appropriate!)
Diana
Hi All
Just thought I’d share this with you - sent to me by my sister-in-law who lives in California. pinkglovedance.com/ that’s the sequel. If you want to watch the original you just google “the original pink glove dance”. It’s not for everybody but I liked it.
Good luck for Monday Gwendolyn - will be thinking of you.
Welcome Dima I think you’ll be just right for this thread.
Diana